Paul Bashi, a national-level bodybuilder competing in the National Physique Committee (NPC) middleweight division, wants to blame “roid rage” for the brutal beating and stabbing that almost ended the life of his girlfriend Kristina Perry. Bashi also used a lot of psychoactive drugs like methamphetamine, cocaine and 3,4-Methyl​enedioxy​methamphetamine (MDMA). But it is the steroids that he wants to blame as the culprit.

Defense attorney David Griem appeared in Macomb County Circuit Court on September 24, 2018 to explain why Bashi gave his girlfriend a “tragic, serious beating”. Griem told Judge Joseph Toia that Bashi was using “great quantities of steroids” to prepare for a major bodybuilding contest. The beating was simply attributable to “roid rage” according to Griem.

“The defendant at that time was using great quantities of steroids preparing for a national body-building competition,” Griem said. “I believe that what happened that day was something that’s referred to as ‘roid rage,’ short for steroid rage.”

Bashi was arrested and charged with one count of assault with intent to murder (attempted murder), one count of torture, and one count of delivery and/or manufacture of a Controlled Substance on July 29, 2018. The charges are related to an assault that local prosecutors have called the worst non-fatal beating they have ever seen.

In July 2018, Assistant Macomb County Prosecutor William Dailey described the assault as it was captured by Bashi’s home surveillance CCTV video.

“I have never seen injuries to a person inflicted the way Mr. Bashi did to another human being who lived,” Dailey said. “It’s disturbing to talk about, to watch. Those stab wounds were partly inflicted at different times during the assault with different weapons, different knives. It was going to be a slow death.”

During a bond hearing on September 24th, Assistant Macomb County Prosecutor Jordan Fields said it was practically a miracle that Perry survived given the life-threatening nature of her injuries.

“Time and time and time again this defendant beat her as she lay motionless on the ground,” Fields said. “How she did not die, I have no idea. She should have died that day, judge.”

Bashi kicked Perry over 100 times. He pummeled her with his fists at least 50 times and he stabbed her with multiple knives over two dozen times. Perry was bleeding severely and barely clinging to life when police and paramedics arrived. Perry was hospitalized and remained in a coma for a few days following the attack. Perry has since been released and has largely recovered from the physical effects of the attack.

Bashi has been in jail ever since the attack and held on a $5 million bail. Griem argued that Bashi should be granted a $500,000 bond instead with a 10% payment to be released. Griem pointed out that several other defendants in attempted-murder cases have been grant such low bonds.

In addition, Griem paraded Bashi’s girlfriend before the court in an effort to help get his client released on a lower bond. Perry testified that it was her fault that Bashi beat her and that she loved him and did not fear him. She even asked the judge to revoke a no-contact order so that they could be together again.

Perry’s “forgiveness” of her abuser is not unusual in cases of domestic violence. Fortunately, prosecutors do not need her testimony to pursue charges against Bashi. Prosecutors have extensive evidence from hospital records and a 40-minute video that documents Bashi’s torture and assault of Perry.